Oddly enough, I was in a robbery in a Taco Bell 20 some years ago. Nobody hurt, guy hopped over the counter with a shotgun, and after threatening to shoot the girl for not opening the safe, waited for the timelock safe to open before taking the money and running. Took about 20 min or so. Once he realized the safe wouldn't open for 15 min, and nobody was challenging him, he became quite amicable. Let us all sit down to enjoy our meals. Threw me some hot sauce packets for my meal. Another guy came in the store, robber demanded money. The guy had like 99 cents on him... "What, did you come in her eto rob the place too?"... Ended up giving the 99c guy a 10 spot out of the register, saying "you need this more than I do". Bizarre. Maybe that's why it wasn't that traumatic to me. The initial VERY tense situation calmed way down waiting for the safe to open. It was obvious he wasn't going to harm anyone after the initial threats to try to get the girl to open the safe, once he was clowning around. Prior to that, if I had a permit and was armed, I would have been happy to blast him when he was going over the counter, back turned to me (long line of customers, he couldn't help turning his back to someone), shotgun pointed at the ceiling before he threateded the girl about opening the safe.

At the time Mich was "may issue" and you couldn't get a permit unless you had connections. But 20 years later, when Mich went "shall issue", I honestly never thought of that incident when getting the permit.

I just got tired of being scared. So I decided to educate myself in the ways that were available for me to keep myself safe and take ownership of my own life.

Background (in very very brief). Ten years ago I divorced my first husband. He was extremely abusive. Abusive to the point that ten years later I still fight the physical effects of what he did to me. Right after I left him I lived in constant fear that he would find me and that he would kill me. Ten years later I still wake up in the night terrified. Carrying a weapon and sleeping with one near my bed has made my nights much more restful because I know that if the worst should happen and he should find me, whether my new husband is home or not, I will survive the encounter if it is at all possible to do so.

im still quite young and i havent had any traumatic experiences to make me desire to carry. but ever since i was a little kid ive been fascinated by guns and always thought in the right hands they are useful tools. growing up with antis for parents and brother (although all claim to be conservatives) i was kind of the odd ball but my interest in firearms never went away and i decided when i first learned i could carry a firearm legally i wanted to do just that. ohio didnt get concealed carry until 2003 but i still had 3 years before i could get my license. i bought my g19 on my 21st bday and took my classes when the chance came around.

Originally posted by Dinho im still quite young and i havent had any traumatic experiences to make me desire to carry. but ever since i was a little kid ive been fascinated by guns and always thought in the right hands they are useful tools. growing up with antis for parents and brother (although all claim to be conservatives) i was kind of the odd ball but my interest in firearms never went away and i decided when i first learned i could carry a firearm legally i wanted to do just that. ohio didnt get concealed carry until 2003 but i still had 3 years before i could get my license. i bought my g19 on my 21st bday and took my classes when the chance came around.

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This is a stretch, but I'd say your defining moment was learning that you could legally carry a concealed firearm.

I've always thought that you only get two chances to decide to CCW -- before the need arises, and after the need arises. I either read that somewhere, or it just occurred to me. Probably the former.

Grew up around LO, father is a DEA agent and my Grandpa was a FBI Agent. I work loss prevention for a major department store (hints the username), and have just started to work as a Patrol Officer for a local housing Authority, going to school to become a Police officer.
Shoplifters usually dont like to be caught. Will never forget the time I caught a girl whos family just moved to the Midwest due to Katrina. She was very rough and you could tell she did not have a good home life. Her Family where all either in prison or wanted for major felony warrants. She told me that she would have her people take care of me and she was not joking. Later that night there was a car filled with her Crew with Bats and guns just waiting for me to come outside. Little did they know my office is a 100,000 dollar camera room and I could tell what they where up to before I left the building. The local law enforcement had there hands full with all of them. No doubt in my mind that if I would have walked outside without knowing they where there I would not be here today!

A year before this incident another good friend working loss prevention got into a scuffle with a shoplifter in the parking lot. When he was down on the ground fighting with the lifter, the lifters getaway ride driver jumped out of a car and placed a pistol against his head and told him to let his friend go or DIE. The only reason he did not shoot is because he would have also shot his friend. The lifter was released and they took off. They where later involved with a shoot out with local PD. Before the shoplifters hit our store they robbed a local DQ and killed two employees working there.

So needless to say I have been waiting for my 23rd birthday. Got a G23 for my 21st birthday and cant wait to carry.

Nothing specific(yet) but in my line of work you get threats sometimes and just the general non sense you read in papers today and see on TV and think...if someone had a CC there he could have stopped that/saved him/herself and family...so thats why...If it comes down to it im GOING to be that guy..In this day and age when PD's are stretched too thin already its kinda DAFT to think that when you call 911 they will get there B4 something "bad" happens...yeah its possible but not probable...so you need to protect yourself and your family.

I was having health problems and it would literally take me a full minute or more to exit my car. There were a lot more carjackings than there are now and I realized I was a good target. Got a permit, and also got better. Now, depending where I go, I may take a gun along.

I grew up with guns in rural New Mexico and would shoot my father's .38 Super semi-auto pistol from the age of 12 out in the pastures. When I left home to go to college in AZ, I had a Ruger Redhawk revolver that I kept in the car all the time. I've always had a pistol at home for protection and have always had a pistol in the car as long as the state I lived in allowed it. I was in the Army for several years and was stationed in California for a few years. They don't allow loaded guns (or unloaded as I recall) to be carried in the passenger compartment of cars, so it's mostly just the criminals that do so. I spent three years in Hawaii. Great place to live, but they're worse than California when it comes to guns. Following Hawaii, came back to AZ after getting out of the Army. Nice to be able to carry a gun in the car again. When I found out that you could get a CCW several years ago, I thought about it, but never followed through. I had a gun in the car and kept guns in the house with an alarm system and a small dog, so I figured I was covered pretty well for any road rage incident or home invasion.

The wake-up call came when some guy tried to steal a truck from right in front of our office building in broad daylight, immediately outside my office window on the ground level a couple of months ago. It was our receptionist's truck and she was yelling at him trying to stop him from getting into her truck (she was not in the truck at the time). He got in and was trying to get it started with some key he had. A delivery guy was in the parking lot and was helping her try to get the guy out of her truck by banging on the driver's side window. The guy couldn't get the truck started, so he got out of the truck and started yelling at them and threatening them. Another co-worker was on the phone to 911 telling them to get the police here as soon as possible. I grabbed one of the guys that works for me and we went outside. As we walked outside I kept my eyes on the guy's hands to make sure he didn't have any weapons and wasn't reaching into his pockets. The guy was still threatening the receptionist and the delivery guy and when we went outside, he came towards us and took a swing at each of us. I side-stepped the punch and tackled the guy to the pavement, landing on top of him and pinning his arm behind his back. I held him down until the police arrived about five minutes later. Turns out he was a felon with previous theft and burglary charges. He's currently serving an 18-month sentence in prison.

The adrenaline rush during that episode was an experience. I could barely talk for about 30 minutes because my throat was so dry. I had to drink a bunch of water and calm down before I could speak in complete sentences. A couple of days later, I scheduled the CCW class. I also bought a Mossberg 12-gauge security shotgun for the house. After I got my CCW permit, I bought a Glock 23 and a 27, along with a few holsters. I pretty much am either carrying or within 15 feet of a gun most of the time. I also now carry pepper spray and a one-handed opening folding knife (Kershaw or Gerber) or a hideaway knife in a sheath on a chain around my neck at all times.

I've taken both my kids and wife to the range and they've shot everything we own, including the shotgun with 00 buckshot.

I still worry about them every time I read some story about an attempted abduction or home invasion or some other random violent act by some drug user or violent criminal, but I think I'm prepared and protected more than most people.

Defining moment? The summer of 1776. It was really hot out. This guy Tom wrote this awesome document ... all men are created equal ... life, liberty, pursuit of happiness .... good stuff. It made me think.

I decided to carry simply because I am a firearms enthusiast living in a state that allows it.

I find a lot of people who decide to carry after encountering some life altering event are not truly prepared to do so. Firstly deciding to CCW because something has happened to you is a reactionary measure. A lot of these people think buying and carrying a gun is the solution to their newly found problem (fear of assault, family safety, death).

These owners are often not "gun" people and furthermore lack the skills and experience needed to safely carry and use a firearm. Many of these types of people think simply showing or pointing their weapong will resolve a deadly situation in the favor. They are sorely mistaken.

If you decide to start carrying a gun because of a negative event you have witnessed and encountered, get the proper training, to include mental preparation for taking another human's life.

Originally posted by Jyanna I just got tired of being scared. So I decided to educate myself in the ways that were available for me to keep myself safe and take ownership of my own life.

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If you were living with even a low-level of fear prior to buying/owning/carrying a gun then the firearm itself is likely giving you a false sense of security.

If I were your instructor I would ask you to visualize someone breaking into your house with the intent to harm you. Imagine you are armed and awake and they are about to come through your bedroom door. What are you going to do, how do you feel? Has your heart rate increased just from imagining the scenario? Are you going to be able to point and shoot in an instant or are your hands going to be shaking. Perhaps you are frozen in fear and unable to even reach for your gun.

If any of what I've mentioned applies to you I would recommend a self-defense course, namely Brazilian Ji-Jitsu and/or Muay Thai (Thai Boxing). Aside from being excellent sources of excercise, a small amount of proficiency with any form of martial arts will greatly enhance your overall confidence level.

Having a great deal of self-confidence from knowing you can handle yourself will have a positive affect on your ability to defend yourself with a firearm.

my case maybe kind of special,
after getting my "greencard" i fund out that i now can own guns in the USA so i got some, because i had guns in germany and so why not.
when i learned that i also can get a CPL i did just because i can.

Originally posted by C4talyst If you were living with even a low-level of fear prior to buying/owning/carrying a gun then the firearm itself is likely giving you a false sense of security.

If I were your instructor I would ask you to visualize someone breaking into your house with the intent to harm you. Imagine you are armed and awake and they are about to come through your bedroom door. What are you going to do, how do you feel? Has your heart rate increased just from imagining the scenario? Are you going to be able to point and shoot in an instant or are your hands going to be shaking. Perhaps you are frozen in fear and unable to even reach for your gun.

If any of what I've mentioned applies to you I would recommend a self-defense course, namely Brazilian Ji-Jitsu and/or Muay Thai (Thai Boxing). Aside from being excellent sources of excercise, a small amount of proficiency with any form of martial arts will greatly enhance your overall confidence level.

Having a great deal of self-confidence from knowing you can handle yourself will have a positive affect on your ability to defend yourself with a firearm.

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I understand what you are saying. It is not the fact that I own a gun (4 guns) that gives me a sense of security. It is the fact that I know how to use it and I have learned how to defend myself without it. Buying the gun was part of the process, not the solution alone. I am not fearless now, and I doubt I will ever be completely relaxed particularly at night, but my fear is no longer incapacitating to me.

Originally posted by C4talyst I decided to carry simply because I am a firearms enthusiast living in a state that allows it.

I find a lot of people who decide to carry after encountering some life altering event are not truly prepared to do so. Firstly deciding to CCW because something has happened to you is a reactionary measure. A lot of these people think buying and carrying a gun is the solution to their newly found problem (fear of assault, family safety, death).

These owners are often not "gun" people and furthermore lack the skills and experience needed to safely carry and use a firearm. Many of these types of people think simply showing or pointing their weapong will resolve a deadly situation in the favor. They are sorely mistaken.

If you decide to start carrying a gun because of a negative event you have witnessed and encountered, get the proper training, to include mental preparation for taking another human's life.

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Not sure that is entirely true. Lots of people in this thread had been shooting all their lives but just lacked that "final reason" to carry.

I know people who's wives just won't have it. As they say, they are just one assault away from changing their minds. It's a sad statement about society, especially in ritzy suburban areas. Being able to say to someone who ignorantly questions why do you have a gun "Because I got robbed and it's not going to happen again. Now stfu" is sometimes the necessary factor.

Originally posted by ArodJohns
Another moment was working at the police department and while at the grocery store in my off hours having a guy come up and try to pick a fight with me because I was the one he gave the money to when he paid his ticket (I was a dispatcher and accepted money for fines for the court).

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I used to work at a Police Department in a civilian position. I've run into a few people I've had contact with... A couple years ago I assisted an officer in arresting a man he was fighting with; big dude and the officer was pretty pooped when I stopped to assist. A passing trooper stopped and ended up tazing the nutjob thus ending the fight. Fast forward a couple years and I find out the wackjob lives up the street from me now... I'm glad I have a CHL and carry wherever legal.

I don't have a real dramatic story, but here's how it happened with me:

I work long and late hours at my family's business in a marginal area of town. Not exactly bad, but near a homeless shelter which is the center of activity for a certain demographic.

I'm a real homebody, back then I only went once a week to the store, once a week to a movie, and mainly just between work and home. However, just walking across the street to my car I had lots of little incidents. The most common is a simple request for money (I don't carry cash). But another time a junkie stuck his hand in my closing (!) car door to stop me and give me his story about needing bus money. Not only had he given me the same spiel a couple weeks before, it was four in the morning! No buses. Another time, as I was crossing the street, a carload of stupid young males (tm) starting yelling crap at me from the other side of the intersection. I think they had me confused with someone, I wasn't paying much attention to their diatribe. I kind of hid behind a huge signpole where they couldn't see me. When the light turned green, they just drove past, fortunately.

I never panicked or got scared, but I felt helpless, and angry at myself for being helpless. That actually might have been the impetus for me to start taking Krav Maga (unarmed combat for those that don't know). There were numerous other times when I've gotten the eye from groups of guys, usually two young guys. You know, like they are sizing you up as a potential victim.

In the meantime I had bought a house, bought a gun to protect that house, started hanging out on Glocktalk to learn about the gun, got educated about all manner of ballistic related topics, and finally decided I would make the leap, well, more of a hop by that point, to carry.

You know, the common thread to everyone's story here seems to be a developing awareness of the world as it truly is and our delicate place in it. I don't know if being a human being on the planet Earth is a privilege or a right, but it doesn't take much to ruin our fragile position and everything we've come to cherish. The fortunate amongst us had this awareness ingrained into us from an early age by our parents. The unlucky ones had a sudden, violent awakening. I was lucky to have the chance to develop that awareness on my own time. Reading some of the stories here, I'm really grateful for that.

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